I want to achieve … Level 6 Writing

Level 5 is considered the gold standard at the end of Key Stage 3 … if you get a Level 6 you have gone beyond the expected level and showing evidence of exceptional performance. Read on to find out how …

You should already be doing all of the following … Level 3 Skills ● Writing in proper sentences ● Expressing your opinions ● Using good spelling Level 4 Skills ● Writing in paragraphs ● Memorizing vocabulary correctly ● Showing knowledge of grammar rules Level 5 Skills ● Showing ability to write in the past and future tenses

Level 6 Writing … “Pupils write in paragraphs, using simple descriptive language, and refer to past, present and future actions and events. They apply grammar in new contexts. Although there may be a few mistakes, the meaning is usually clear.” So you need everything at levels 3, 4 and 5, PLUS … The ability to apply grammar rules to new contexts

Top Tips for getting a Level 6 …

1. Think about the rules you know, and how you could use them in other situations Example 1 The Level 5 student remembers that “J’ai mangé” means “I ate”. They remember to use this in a story about what they did yesterday evening. They are awarded a Level 5 because they show ability to use the past tense. Example 1 The Level 6 student finds the verb “chanter” (to sing) in the dictionary. They then work out that: “j’ai mangé” means “I ate” therefore “j’ai chanté” means “I sang”

Example 2 The Level 5 student remembers that “Je vais visiter” means “I am going to visit …”. They use this in a story about their plans for the summer and are awarded a Level 5 because they can talk about the future. Example 2 The Level 6 student asks the teacher how to say “we are going to visit” because they want to talk about their whole family. It is “nous allons visiter …”. They then work out that they can also say: “nous allons regarder…” “nous allons rester…” “nous allons jouer …”

Example 3 The Level 5 student knows that adjectives come after the noun (e.g. mon chat noir = my cat black). They also know they must add an “e” for a feminine noun (e.g. ma voiture noire). Example 3 The Level 6 student looks up new, interesting adjectives in the dictionary, remembers the rules, and applies them to the new words. For example, they don’t want to use the word intéressant (interesting) too much, so they find the word fascinant (fascinating). They then write this sentence correctly: Mes matières sont fascinantes.

Summary Think about why French words fit together in the way they do, ask questions, and try to apply the rules to your own sentences.